The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1887-08-24
The Texas Senator's Reply to The Be-
auYi0r Statesman's Structures
On Prohibition.

ton of Jefferson Davis letter to the
Democrats of Texas, published last week
prompts us to present also Senator Rea-
CAMS reply:
PALESTINE, TEX, July 29.-Hon. Jeffer-
son Davis, Beauvoir, Miss.-My Dear Sir
and Friend: l write not to complain
but express my surpris and sorrow on &C.
connt Of a letter you wrote to our good
friend Gov. Lubbock, in opposition to
the adoption of the proposed amendment
to our State constitution to prohibit the
manufacture, sale and exchange of in
toxicating liquors, except for m~anchanic-
al, medical, scientific and ornamental
purposes. Texas has never been SC pro.
foundly STIRRED up on a question before
within my memory. The state demo-
cratic convention of last year held the
question of Temperance, or opposition to
the liquor traffic, to be nonpartisan. Our
democratic governor recommended to
| the last legislature the submission of this
question to the vote of The people. Our
legislature, which, on joint ballot. had
but five republicans in it, did submit the
question to the people for decision on
the 4th of August, proximo, by q vote of
more than two-thirds of each house. 1t
was submitted as a nonpartisan ques.
ton, to be voted on when no other ques-
ton was before the people. This
measure is, l understand, sustained by a
majority of the ablest, best and most
trusted democrats of the state, such as
ex-senator Maxey, Mr.. Culbertson, Nj.
Lenham and Judge Hare, democratic
members-elect to congress. and Col.
Miller, a democratic member of the last
congress. 1t is sustained by wo.thirds
of the newspapers of Texas, by not less
than nineteen-tenths of the 800 or 400
preachers of to-day, by probably ninety
nine in every 100 of the women of that
state and it will, in my opinion be voted
for by more than 100000 democrats
Of this state.
have been in three counties In large
assemblies since your letter was publish
ed, and from what 1 have seen and heard
I am sure that tens of thousands of your
truest and best friends are grieved and
panied by your letter. We believe we
could carry the state against the COM
bined influence and efforts of the manu-
facturers eff whisky and beer, the liquor
dealers associations of st. Louis. Chicago
Louisville, Cincinnati, New York, Phil
adelphia and elsewhere, and against the
use of the vast sums of money they
have sem to Texas to employ and pay
speakers, suborn the newspapers, and
corrupt the ballot and debauch the
people. We believed we could carry it
against the saloon-keepers, profession
al politicians, and a number of good
men like our friend Gov. Lubbock, but
the power of your great name is now be-
ing paraded against the prohibitionists
MT only, but some good men who, like
yourself, think prohibition more danger
u than the liquor traffic and drunken.
ness with all the evils, poverty, shame,
sorrow and crime that follow in their
train. Your letter is being read and ap-
plauded by every saloon-keeper and
dram drinker in Texas to-day, and it
will cast a curse which many of us deem
of the greatest Importance to many
thousands of votes, and we fear may de-
feat the amendment and give the indorse-
ment to the people of the liquor traffic
with the griefs, sorrows and crimes
which 90 with it.
You object to this amendment because
the world is governed too much. Our
laws prohibit the carrying Of pistols,
bowie.knives and brass knuckles, and
punish those who carry them by fine and
imprisonment. Our laws prohibit and
provide for the punishment of many
other things which are injurious to
society, and which retain the personal
liberty of the citizen. You admit that
the Incorporate use af liquor is the root
of many social disorders. No one can
truthfully deny the baneful effects of the
liquor traffic. But you think, with many
others, that to prohibit it will be an
~abridgement of personal Thirty. This is
admitted. Personal liberty was abridg-
ed when God forbade our p%rogenitors to
eat of the fruit of the tree o life. The
decalogue in the Holy Scriptures abridges
personal liberty in nearly every com.
mandment, The laws of the United
States and of our several States are in a
large mueasure made of provisions for
the abridgement of personal liberty.
They do this in order to give protection
to the persons, the lives, the property of
the people-to give peace and prosperity
of society. They do it because govern.
ment and civil society ran not exist
without the infringement of personal
liberty. They do it for the good of
society and the protection of its men,
beers.